Chapter 116 - 101 King Niumo

Anyone in the Fox Kingdom who committed a crime would be sent to this place for others’ amusement. Among the monsters were many cruel creatures, so it was not uncommon for a few to be played to death. For the people of Fox Kingdom, entering there was akin to stepping one foot into the gates of hell.

Others might not be aware, but the maid knew all too well the Jade-faced Princess’s methods. She was instantly so frightened that she began to tremble slightly as she spoke, "Princess, rest assured, I know nothing."

At the same time, King Niumo, riding his mount the Golden-eyed Beast, swiftly arrived at Banana Cave.

The little demons guarding the cave entrance burst into smiles upon seeing their king return home, each of them eagerly rushing forward, one leading the mount and another taking the gear.

"Where is the messenger?" King Niumo asked.

"To answer Your Majesty, the messenger has already been welcomed by the mistress and is currently enjoying drinks," they replied.

"Keep a good watch on the Golden-eyed Beast. I’ll go meet the esteemed guest right now," he said.

King Niumo strode forward into the cave and saw a young man of extraordinary bearing seated at a table, drinking with his head bowed, opposite his wife, the Rakshasa woman.

His entrance caught the attention of both. The Rakshasa woman looked up and saw King Niumo, her face lighting up with joy as she greeted him, "You’ve finally returned, my lord."

King Niumo glanced at his wife, wanting to say something, but he eventually held back.

Seeing his sullen expression, the Rakshasa woman sadly said, "You haven’t come home for many days, my lord, and now you do not even wish to speak to me?"

"My lady, do not be heartbroken. I was just thinking of our child and how he is faring, feeling a bit melancholic is all," he responded.

On this topic, the Rakshasa woman’s face became ablaze with fury as she angrily said, "It’s all because of that damned Husun who harmed our son. This time in Maiden’s Country, he even fought with my younger brother and injured him."

"What? That Monkey has gone too far. How is my brother faring now?" King Niumo asked anxiously.

"It’s nothing serious. The Monkey didn’t take his life. But instead, there are ambitious people lurking within Maiden’s Country. Had it not been for Fellow Taoist Lin Fang, my brother might have been harmed by now," she said.

As she spoke, the Rakshasa woman handed over the letter from True Immortal Ruyi. King Niumo opened the letter to find it filled with writing.

True Immortal Ruyi first detailed the situation of Monkey and his companions, then recounted his own experiences, attributing a great favor to Lin Fang. Lastly, he wrote of observing the Buddhist Sect harboring ambitions of annexing the Eight Desolations, following the Journey to the West entourage and expanding their influence. Since his own brother was a well-known figure among the Demon Clan, he surmised that they might target him and advised utmost caution.

Upon reading this, King Niumo was furious. "So, the Buddhist Sect, you really think I’m made of clay, don’t you? If you hadn’t bothered me, I might have let it be, but if you dare to come, I’ll make sure you learn your lesson."

King Niumo had heard about the expansion of the Buddhist Sect but had not taken it seriously, considering that the present era belonged to the monsters.

However, True Immortal Ruyi’s letter sounded an alarm for him. The expansion of the Buddhist Sect was no longer a minor nuisance. From the looks of it, they were intent on purging all the monsters from the Eastern Land to Mount Ling.

"Those bald donkeys, I knew their arrangement of the Journey to the West was ill-intended!" King Niumo said indignantly.

"My lord, the Buddhist Sect is formidable; perhaps we should leave this place. The world is vast, and there surely is a place for us to settle," the Rakshasa woman said, clutching King Niumo’s hand.

She had also come a long way with King Niumo, hand in hand, through countless hardships and dangers. But she had never felt as scared as she did today.

After all, this time their opponent was not any of those mountain spirits and wild monsters that occupied the forests, nor was it a Demon King claiming a mountain as his territory, but the Buddhist Sect, the top power of the Three Realms with countless Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Buddhas.

Just thinking of that dense crowd of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas made the Rakshasa woman’s heart tremble with fear.

However, King Niumo retorted, "Leave? To where? If I retreat, my great reputation would be destroyed in an instant. Why should the foundation we fought for with our spears and swords be handed over to the Buddhist Sect so easily?"

King Niumo was not willing to give up; he had suffered and endured countless hardships to build his reputation. The vast territory he had, he and his wife and brothers fought for with spears and swords wasn’t something he was ready to give up without a fight.

While the Buddhist Sect was indeed powerful, King Niumo was not afraid of them. More precisely, the Monkey’s Havoc in the Heavenly Palace over five hundred years ago had ignited the ambitions in the hearts of these Demon Kings.

He was not willing to let go of his foundation and relive a life of displacement. He had already made up his mind to fight with all his might.

The Rakshasa woman looked at King Niumo, who was brimming with bold spirits. Her husband was still as ambitious as ever, which brought a slight smile to her face.

"Right, where is our distinguished guest? He saved my brother’s life; we must properly express our gratitude as his elder brother and sister-in-law," King Niumo said with a laugh, changing the subject.

The Rakshasa woman quickly pointed to Lin Fang and said, "The guest is right here!"

King Niumo laughed heartily, "Haha, by saving my brother’s life, you’ve saved mine as well. From now on, you are my brother, Old Niu’s brother."

His words had an earnest warmth, and he seemed very sincere. However, Lin Fang was not willing to believe a single word.

When they had sworn brotherhood, seven brothers called each other brethren and supported one another. But when the Monkey wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace and confronted the Heavenly Court, not one dared to show their face, leaving the Monkey to fight alone. This showed how fleeting such so-called loyalty was; Old Niu was not as simple and honest as he seemed.

Thus, Lin Fang smiled and replied with a clasped hand gesture, "My encounter with True Immortal Ruyi was a meeting of minds, and we gained much from exchanging our insights. Delivering the message was merely a small effort, hardly worth mentioning."

King Niumo then said with a smile, "I don’t know what plans you may have in the future, but I must say, within a thousand miles, Old Niu does hold some sway. If there is anything you need help with, just ask."

"Since the King has offered, I can only accept with thick skin. To be frank, my purpose for coming here is to visit Flame Mountain," Lin Fang announced.

"Flame Mountain?" the Rakshasa woman asked with curiosity. Everyone knew to avoid the raging fires of Flame Mountain, yet Lin Fang intended to venture into it.

"I plan to practice divine skills there!" Lin Fang said with a smile.

"Samadhi True Fire!" The thought came instantly to both King Niumo and his wife, their expressions shifting slightly. After all, their child was well-versed in this spell, but now they were living separate lives, uncertain if they would ever meet again.

"Since it’s to cultivate this divine skill, Flame Mountain indeed is the perfect place. However, the flames within the mountain are blistering, and if you go now, you might not endure. How about letting my wife use the Banana Fan to reduce the flames before you proceed?" King Niumo suggested.